Hey, Cey Will Stay In Lineup

`You Can`t Get Away From Performance,` Frey Says

You might be able to stuff a hot dog, a corned beef sandwich or even a swig of his favorite beer in there. But for heaven`s sake, don`t try to put words in Jim Frey`s mouth.

After a network sportscaster told the world Saturday of Frey`s intention to bench Ron Cey and move right-fielder Keith Moreland to third within the next few days, the Cub manager nearly choked on his chaw of tobacco.

Cey? It isn`t so.

``Everytime I say I`m going to do something, there`s a big story that goes all over the world, and it`s always misinterpreted,`` said Frey. ``What I said Saturday was that I was going to try to get some people off the bench to get some at-bats. All the other bull was speculation.``

While the White Sox managerial soap opera has been a hot topic on the South Side over the past two weeks, it has been considerably cooler near the lake.

Frey would like to put to rest notions that there is any discontent involving veteran players like Cey. After all, Cey is hitting .438 (7-for-16) over the last five games.

``Recently, in San Francisco and on this homestand, Cey has been a consistent hitter,`` said Frey, whose club opens a two-game set with the San Francisco Giants Tuesday (3:05 p.m.). ``He`s hit the ball and played well defensively. It`s not like you have a predetermined opinion of things. A lot of people seem to think there is a predetermined opinion. That`s not the case. ``When someone isn`t hitting the ball regularly, you`re inclined to think one way. When someone starts hitting the ball, and hitting extra-base hits and driving in big runs, and hitting home runs, you`re inclined to think another way. And I guess you`re influenced by the overall performance of the team. It`s not like anyone came to spring training with this grand plan that this was going to happen. What you do is play about 30 games and exhibition games and you see what`s happening. Then you form opinions. It`s hard not to.``

Since meeting with club president and general manager Dallas Green and the coaching staff a couple of weeks ago, Frey has played Cey on a fairly regular basis. Cey is hitting .232 for the season with four doubles and three homers, the 300th, 301st and 302d of his big-league career.

``In the last eight or nine games, he`s been a consistent hitter, and an important hitter in the games we`ve won. He`s helped us,`` said Frey. ``You can`t get away from performance. In the end, that`s what dictates peoples`

opinion.``

Cey is still reluctant to talk in depth about his plight as the Cubs`

semi-regular third baseman. Like any dutiful employee, Cey just works here.

``I don`t know if anybody owes me anything, but I`m here to play,`` said Cey. ``I`m here to play as much as I can because that`s the way I get my job done.``

The numbers that keep dancing in the head of Green are $1.3 million for the 1986 and 1987 seasons. That`s how much guaranteed money (including attendance bonuses) the Cubs owe the Penguin. They also are mindful of Cey`s .232 batting average last season and his subpar spring training. His age, 38, also jumps out at the Cubs` bosses.

But Green knew that day would come when he signed Cey to the five-year contract on Jan. 20, 1983. Cey says his age is a number to purge, and his offensive statistics from his impressive 13-year major-league career shouldn`t be glossed over. He entered the 1986 season with a .261 career batting average and 1,092 RBIs.

``If I play, those things can happen, but if you don`t play, it`s hard for those things to happen,`` Cey said of his past performances. ``I don`t know how much I`m going to play, in terms of games or at-bats. That`s just something we`ll have to wait and see about. If I don`t play as much as I have in the past, it`s going to be pretty difficult to do the things I`ve done in the past.``

Cey said he has talked to Green this season about his plight. Green told reporters in spring training that he is not willing to eat Cey`s contract for 1986, but left open the possibility that the 1987 contract might be on his menu.

``I really don`t think it`s necessary to comment about a lot of that stuff,`` said Cey. ``I don`t want to be premature about things, and I would hope they would not want to be either.

``We`ve spoken, but it`s not something I feel I need to comment on at this point. Along with a lot of other things. I`m here to try and do as good a job as I possibly can. I hope that opportunity presents itself.

``I`m used to playing regular, that`s always been my job. So obviously I feel more comfortable in that role. Being used as a utility player--I`m sure for those people--trying to stay sharp is the most difficult thing.``

Cey said he is talking with teammates and hitting coach Billy Williams to try to sustain a groove.

``We always talk back and forth about hitting, that`s just the nature of trying to be intelligent about what you`re doing,`` he said. ``At this point, I only have 50 (actually 56) at-bats and we`ve played 28 (30) games or whatever. That`s less than two at-bats a game. Anytime an athlete, regardless of what sport he`s in . . . he has to be out there to stay sharp. I`m certainly in good enough health to be active. It`s not a physical disability. It`s just whatever their plans are for me and the team.``